Mumbai: Teacher alleged harassment over hijab, resigns

Mumbai: A 25-year-old teacher from a school in Mumbai has resigned after being purportedly annoyed for wearing a hijab.

According to Hindustan Times report, Khan Shabina Nazneen employed in Bharat Education Society’s Vivek English High School resigned on Wednesday, claiming that the work environment was hostile.

In her resignation letter, she blamed the new headmistress for employing “torturous” techniques including verbal abuse and intolerance against her religious garments.

“Since the new headmistress joined, she has asked me to remove my hijab and burqa on several occasions, saying it was against the decorum of the school. When I pointed out that I had the right to wear my traditional attire, I was told I had to abide by the rule,” said Nazneen to Indian Express.

According to Nazneen she make a choice of her resignation after the 5th December incident when she was asked to remove her burqa while singing national anthem in the campus.

“It was my turn to do the morning assembly, where we sing the prayers and the national anthem. I was forced to remove my burqa as the headmistress said I could not sing the national anthem with the burqa on,” said Nazneen.

However, the principal of the school, Vikram Pillai, denied the claims and said that there was no such discrimination.

“There always is a problem when a new person joins an organisation,” Pillai said adding that the resignation letter had been forwarded to the management. They will take a decision by next week.